PAST LIFE, PAST LOVE

Chapter Five

"Krunke's Comet Dance?" Jackie said.

"Yes. Krunke's Comet was an annual event. It appeared in the sky at the same time every year so we had a celebration of sorts. Sorta like Christmas. People gave gifts, sang and feasted."

"All because some bloody rock appears in the sky? You got all worked up over that?" Jackie said.

"I'm sorry, Jackie, if our festivals were held in honor of stupid stuff," the Doctor said while Rose laughed. "I didn't invent the holiday but when I find out who did, I'll be sure to give them one of your slaps across the face for thinking up a stupid holiday that doesn't involve Christmas trees and caroling."

"So this was a huge festival?" Rose said before her mother could say something snide in return.

"Very huge. We didn't have many festivals on my planet so we went all out when we did have them. Krunke's Comet Day was the biggest and the Academy organized a dance for the students along with a huge dinner and gift giving. It was a welcome break from our studies and most students looked forward to it. I saw most students because Koschei was like Jackie, couldn't see the point in it. He wasn't much for celebrating and wasn't much for mingling either. Except for me, he kept to himself and studied. I would have done the same except Arella brought me out of my shell and I began spending more and more time with her since Koschei kept getting more and more sullen and withdrawn. Still, I was surprised when she asked me to the dance because I still didn't think I had much of a chance with her. It was a couple of days before the dance and I was heading back to my dormitory when Arella caught up and stopped me…"

"Merzet, wait!" Arella said as she ran across the courtyard towards him.

Merzet stopped and turned, giving her a questioning look. The day was sunny and a warm breeze was blowing through his shoulder length brown hair.

"Yes?" he said.

"I wanted to ask before you went to your room. Are you doing anything for the dance?"

"I'm attending," Merzet said.

"Are you taking anyone?" Arella prompted.

"No. I was going to go by myself."

"Can I go then?" Arella said.

"I don't see why not. No one's stopping you from attending the dance."

"No, silly, can I go with you as your date?"

Merzet stared at her in shock.

"You want to be my date at the dance?" he said, not sure he heard right.

"Yes. We're friends, aren't we?"

"Well, yes, but I didn't think you'd want to go to the dance with me."

"Why not?" Arella said.

"Well…because you're beautiful and there are far better candidates than me," Merzet said.

"But I like you. You're the first person I connected with here and I thought if you weren't doing anything, you could accompany me. So are you interested or not?"

To his surprise, Merzet actually made his jaw and his tongue work and he heard himself agreeing to go to the dance. Arella smiled.

"Good, shall I come to your dormitory then?" she asked him.

"Um…yes, around five o'clock."

"I'll see you then, Merzy."

"Merzy?" Rose said while Jackie snickered. "How cute, can I call you Merzy then?"

"No, you can call me Doctor."

"But I like Merzy better and besides I thought it up in the first place," Rose said.

"No, you didn't because as I told you before, Merzet is an alias. I'm not telling you what you really said to me."

"Why? Is it more embarrassing then Merzy?" Jackie said.

"Tons more embarrassing which is why you lot will never know it. So anyway, on with the story."

"Keep going, Merzy, this is incredibly entertaining," Rose said.

She snickered when the Doctor gave her a dirty look for a moment.

"Anyway," the Doctor said as Rose gave him a playful poke in the arm, "I kept the secret of my date from Koschei until the last moment."

"Why?" Jackie said. "Afraid he might steal her away from ya?"

"Um…no, I realized after we started rooming together that he fancied me."

"Your childhood friend had a crush on ya?" Rose said.

"Well, I wouldn't call it crush; it was more like an obsession."

"And did you return the obsession?" Jackie said.

"No."

"You aren't bisexual then?" Jackie said.

Rose laughed when the Doctor gave her an incensed look.

"No and I don't believe it would be any of your business if I was," he said.

"Jack'll be upset when he hears you aren't interested in men," Rose said.

"I don't think Jack cares if I am or not. I think the only thing Jack listens to is the womb broom in his trousers and if his womb broom is interested, that's all that matters. Anyway, on with my story. I kept my date secret from Koschei until a few hours before Arella was supposed to come over and that's only because Koschei saw me getting dressed for it."

XOXOXOXOXOXO

Koschei lay on his bed and grinned while he watched Merzet pulling on his formal Prydonnian robes.

"Don't tell me you're going to that daft dance tonight," Koschei said.

"I am," Merzet said tersely.

"Be bit lonely, won't it? Unless you're planning to run after someone and beg them to be your date," Koschei said.

"That won't be necessary."

"Really? Why not?" Koschei said.

Merzet didn't answer as he adjusted his robes. Koschei hopped up and walked over to him.

"You're planning to just go and stand at the back of the auditorium?" he asked Merzet.

"No, I plan to have a good time, Kosch. I can have a good time despite my loner nature," Merzet said.

"And having a good time means what? Putting tafelshrew meatballs and garja juice into your mouth while you watch the dancers?"

"If you must know, I have a date," Merzet said in exasperation.

"Oh, really? Who? Because I didn't get the memo, you know," Koschei said with a wry grin. "It was rude of you to wait to ask me until the last minute but I forgive you."

"You're not my date, Kosch. I'm going with someone from one of my classes."

Merzet sighed when he saw anger flash momentarily in Koschei's eyes.

"I'm sorry; Kosch, but you could have gotten a date of your own."

"I thought we were friends, Merzet," Koschei said angrily.

"We are friends but that doesn't mean I have to spend all my time with you. I made a friend in my quantum theory class and she asked me to the dance. You could have done the same if you didn't keep to yourself all the time!"

"I keep to myself because those people out there are useless phonies who laugh at us behind our backs!" Koschei said.

"Not everyone! There are some people who like us for who we are."

"Oh puh-leeze! This person is using you, whoever it is. Probably wants to make someone else jealous or just wants you for your body. What is this person gonna think when they see the little hole in your stomach?"

"I can't live my life in the shadows, afraid of being shunned because of some stupid hole in my stomach. That wasn't my doing and I'm not going to let people's opinions of it and me keep me from living my life. What if you're wrong? What if my date actually likes me for who I am not what she can get out of me?"

"She? Hmmm, a woman actually wants you. Color me surprised then," Koschei said. "Who is she then?"

"Her name's Arella. She's coming here to get me so don't do anything to upset her."

"Oh, trust me, I'll be a perfect gentleman, sweetie," Koschei growled at him.

XOXOXOXOXO

"Wow, this is better than Eastenders," Rose said. "I'm sorry I didn't get this past life book sooner so I could hear all about your soap opera life."

"My life is not a soap opera!" the Doctor said indignantly.

"It's not, eh?" Rose teased. "Man in love with woman while roommate is in love with him. Classic love triangle. Where's the evil twin then?"

"What evil twin?" the Doctor said.

"The evil twin that shows up, impersonates the hero and makes trouble," Jackie said.

"Yeah, where's the evil twin?" Rose said.

"I don't have one. Unless you count Koschei as one."

"So, he's your secret brother then?" Jackie said.

"No, Jackie, Koschei isn't my secret bloody brother!" the Doctor said while Rose laughed.

"Hey, mum, don't forget the amnesia bit where the Doctor will forget who he is and ends up a salesman in some faraway town."

"And while he's the salesman, he falls in love with his mother," Jackie added.

"Okay, I'm tired, back to the TARDIS now!"

"No, sit down; we're just having ya on!" Rose said, grabbing his arm when the Doctor started to get up. "Keep going, I wanna hear about the jealous battle between Arella and Koschei when she comes to get ya."

"Jealous battle?" the Doctor said.

"Yeah, over you. Fight to the death sort of thing," Rose said with a shrug.

"There was no battle to the death over me. She showed up and I left with her."

"Blast, that's boring. You need to make something up then so you can entertain us," Rose said.

She laughed and pulled on his arm when he started to get up. The Doctor sat back down and grinned when Rose patted him on the head and sat back down.

"Okay, so anyway nothing happened between Koschei and Arella when she showed up. Although Koschei was pissed off that she came and got me but I ignored him and left him in the room while I went with Arella to the dance.

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